Owner denies starving horses

Photo / Brett Phibbs

The owner of a stud farm yesterday denied allegations she had starved thoroughbreds before sending them to a pet food factory for slaughter.

Deborah Thistoll, owner of the Emerald Lodge near Christchurch, was appearing in the Christchurch District Court during the trial of a former worker who is accused of stealing five horses.

Horse trainer Nicola Anne Subritzky, 41, denies three theft charges and is claiming she rescued the five horses from neglect.

Mrs Thistoll said horses sent to a pet food factory were light and not emaciated, and she rejected defence claims they had been starved.

She denied that Subritzky had been concerned for the welfare of the horses. But she admitted the stud was having financial difficulties.

She said she and her husband had since been declared bankrupt on the application of a creditor, made in June 2008.

She said the decision was made to cull 23 horses which were sent to a pet food factory.

She was then shown defence photographs, including pictures taken of horses at the pet food factory.

She described the horses as "thin but not emaciated", or "just light".

"I can see a lot of ribs and backbone on some of these photographs," said defence lawyer Paul Norcross.

Mrs Thistoll replied that some horses had been ill or difficult to feed.

"Seeing ribs in a thoroughbred is not unusual," she said.

Mr Norcross pointed out a photograph of a horse that he said appeared emaciated.

"It's been starved," he said. "Nothing was starved at our place," Mrs Thistoll replied.

She said Subritzky was employed at the stud for about 18 months.

In 2008, it was decided to downsize and liquidate the company, Burnham Blood Stock New Zealand.

She said they tried to sell as many horses as possible, but there were no buyers. Some of the racehorses were given away as polo ponies, but others had to be culled "to make room and get through the winter".

Some of the stud's horses had been kept at a property called Tui Creek, near the Rakaia Gorge.

She was eventually told that five horses which had been at Tui Creek had been taken away last July. She had not seen them since.

She said Emerald Lodge had tried to get back the horses, but had been prevented from taking them by the farm manager, John White.

She denied receiving an invoice from Mr White for the cost of grazing.

The hearing continues.

- NZPA